used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Drake at last ventured to say.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
cause to be bored
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
comparedverbUS /kəmˈperd/
past form of “compare” — examine and note the similarities or differences of
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
CongonounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡoʊ/
a republic in central Africa; achieved independence from Belgium in 1960
From this reading “I suppose it is the Congo?”
discussverbUS /dɪˈskʌs/
to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
discussionnounUS /dɪˈskʌʃən/
an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
DrakenounUS /dreɪk/
English explorer and admiral who was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe and who helped to defeat the Spanish Armada (1540-1596)
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
footmannounUS /ˈfʊtmən/
a man employed as a servant in a large establishment (as a palace) to run errands and do chores
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
GauntadjectiveUS /ɡɔːnt/
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
gravitynounUS /ˈɡrævəti/
(physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I suppose it is the Congo?”
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “I suppose it is the Congo?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I suppose it is the Congo?”
immediately past
From this reading Drake at last ventured to say.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
momentousadjectiveUS /moʊˈmentəs/
of very great significance
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
express in words
From this reading Drake at last ventured to say.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
without speaking
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
sinsnounUS /sɪnz/
plural of “sin” — estrangement from god
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
express a supposition
From this reading “I suppose it is the Congo?”
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
past form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
From this reading Drake at last ventured to say.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Neither of them spoke but their faces bore an expression of great gravity, for they realized that they were about to discuss a question of vast importance, and that this discussion was likely to be a momentous one.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
withdrewverbUS /wɪθˈdruː/
inflected form of “withdraw” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading The footman brought the coffee which he placed on a table between the chairs on which Gaunt and Drake were seated and then withdrew silently.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes—compared with that, all my other sins are light.
